Kasey Wilson: Dine out in style with this portable feast

A bamboo steamer lined with grape leaves makes an attractive and practical receptacle for a selection of cheeses and charcuterie. Arrange cookies or bars in the bottom tier for dessert. Ann Cutting / PNG

One of my favourite summer memories is of a concert picnic at Bard on the Beach a decade ago. Since the 1990s, tents in Vanier Park on Vancouver’s waterfront have provided a stage for Shakespeare’s plays against a stunning backdrop of city, sea and mountains.

Today, you can pre-order a picnic at Bard (from $11 per person), but back then we were inspired to pack our own warm-weather basket. Our no-cutlery dinner consisted of devilled eggs, hand-held meat pies and salad rolls, with a butter tart square for dessert.

In her charming book The Portable Feast: Creative Meals for Work and Play (Rizzoli, 2016), Jeanne Kelley offers clever packaging ideas as well as appealing recipes.

“A covered bamboo steamer is a great carrying case for a portable cheese and charcuterie plate,” Kelley writes.

“If it’s tiered, you can arrange the dessert underneath — just make sure that bits of cheese don’t fall through by lining your basket with non-toxic or paper leaves. The key is to have the selection pre-cut, making it easier to juggle that plate and glass of wine.”

Here are two recipes adapted from Kelley’s book to add to your picnic repertoire:

Related

Recipes

Cheese and Charcuterie Box

You can add any number of delicious cheeses, cured meats, dried fruit and nuts to the mix. Allison Spurrell at Les Amis du Fromage suggests a selection of Canadian cheeses: Blue Ermite, a perfect mild blue from Quebec for novices and seasoned blue cheese lovers alike; Alpindon, a firm, nutty cheese made in Creston from organic cow’s milk; and goat cheeses from Salt Spring Island Cheese Company. Olives and local Vista D’oro preserves would also be welcome additions.

Line the bottom of a 10-inch (25.5 cm) covered bamboo steamer with the grape leaves. Mix the peppercorns, thyme, and lavender on a small plate. Roll the goat cheese round in the mixture, turning and pressing to coat. Cut the round into 6 wedges, leaving the round intact.

Arrange goat cheese along with blue cheese and Gouda, charcuterie and quince paste atop the leaves. (Box can be assembled ahead. Cover the surface of the cheeses and charcuterie directly with wax paper, top with the lid and keep at cool room temperature for up to 2 hours before serving.)

Makes 6 servings

Deep, Dark Espresso Icebox Cookies

You must make the dough for this ice-box cookie ahead of time and allow it to chill completely before slicing and baking. You may wish to double the recipe and keep half the dough, well wrapped, in the freezer for unexpected dinner guests or picnics.

Line an 8 inch (20 cm) square baking pan with parchment paper. Combine the roughly chopped chocolate and the butter in a heavy saucepan over very low heat and stir until melted and smooth. (Do not scorch the chocolate.) Set aside to cool.

Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt to blend in a small bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs in a large bowl at medium speed until foamy. Beat in the sugar and continue beating until the mixture is pale.

With the mixer on low speed, beat in half the melted chocolate mixture. Add the flour mixture and stir until blended. Mix in the remaining melted chocolate. Check to make certain that the batter is not still warm, then slowly blend in the ground coffee and neatly chopped chocolate.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, 6 hours or overnight. (Cookie dough can be prepared 2 weeks ahead.)

Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 F (175 C). Line large, heavy baking sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap the cookie dough. Using a large knife, cut dough evenly into thirds, then cut each third into 1/2 inch (1.3 cm) slices. Arrange the slices on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them evenly. Sprinkle the cookies lightly with flaked salt.

Bake for about 15 minutes, until the surface of the cookies appears cracked and slightly puffed. (Rotate the pans between top and bottom oven racks halfway through if your oven does not heat evenly.) Do not over bake. Allow the cookies to cool until set on the baking sheets. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature.

Makes about 3 dozen cookies

Picnic Hack: DIY wine bucket

To quickly chill a bottle of Okanagan rosé (Hillside is a favourite), cut the top off a 2-litre soda bottle, fill it about 1/3 full with ice and water and place the wine bottle inside. The wine will be crisp and cool in minutes.

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